A Mom and Son Sharing Great Books We Find While Writing Our Own Books

Before the snow disappears for good, take the time to enjoy bunny slopes, an interactive skiing book by Claudia Rueda. Even if you can’t ski, you’ll have lots of fun following little bunny on his trip down the slopes!

bunny slopes opens with an invitation from little bunny to join him for a “ski day.” Unfortunately, there is no snow. Little bunny is standing on his skis on bare ground.

That’s where the reader comes in. Little bunny looks out at the reader and says:

Maybe we can make some!

Could you please

shake

the book?

When we read this page, my little one hesitated, then shook the book only a tiny bit.

Ms. Rueda may have anticipated such a tentative response: The illustration on the next page shows that it has started snowing a little, but there’s definitely not enough snow to ski. So little bunny asks the reader to shake the book “much harder.” After that second shake of the book, there is definitely enough snow for skiing!

As the book progresses, the reader is asked to “tap tap tap” the book, to tilt the book, to turn it, and to read part upside down. By the middle of the book, we were giggling as my daughter enthusiastically followed little bunny’s directions. And we “drank” the treat at the end of the book, since we definitely earned it!

I think we read bunny slopes three or four times in a row before we were ready to move on to another book. It is very engaging, and draws young readers in quickly.

bunny slopes is an excellent example of how a picture book can be very successful even while the text remains very simple. The sentences throughout the book are short, and there are not many sentences on each page. A beginning reader could tackle this on his or her own and feel satisfied at having followed each of little bunny’s clear directions.

Claudia Rueda is the author of a number of picture books, including her Cat series (Here Comes The Easter Cat, Here Comes Santa Cat, Here Comes The Tooth Fairy Cat, and Here Comes Valentine Cat). She has a blog at www.claudiarueda.com.